"Master Kaltas, I think I've got something. Not much, but it could be a lifeform." A Republic officer called out to Komad from his station. Komad, standing at the front of the bridge with his daughter Kalla, as well as her master Reyvan Skyrider, and Tonatius Iazoki, walked over. "It looks like an old Imperial era ship." The officer elaborated, pulling up a visual of the drifting transport. "Very old." Komad commented. "One humanoid life sign detected, very faint." The officer added. "Tractor it in. It may not be what we're looking for, but that's no reason not to offer assistance." Komad ordered.

"I'm starting to doubt we're going to find her out here. We've got hundreds of other ships sneaking around in New Imperial space, and they're faring no better than us." Kalla said to Tonatius, trying to hold his hand. "I'm not sure how I could have coped without you."

"Hm. You don't see that everyday..."
Observing from the cockpit of the Dead Return, Oren Veneb's interest was sparked by this... phenomenon. It was a familiar sight in the wilderness, but seeing a ship eat another ship... now that was just funny!

His thoughts temporarily went back to the small skirmish he had with the former crew when they first discovered him on board. A couple of blasters were fired, a couple of limbs were removed. Some internal systems must've been damaged in the meantime.

So stupid. So reckless. I've made a coffin out of this ship. If it wasn't for my uncanny luck, I'd have been dead years ago!

His eyes moved back to the Republic Vessel((I presume it's a Republic one?)). With the Dead Return practically falling apart around him, he knew it was his only hope of survival.

I guess it's time to get over some old prejudices. Now, I wonder what would get their attention...

And now I'm all alone again, nowhere to turn, nowhere to go to,
Without an ally or a friend, just enemies to say hello to,
The stars are very clear, and I imagine that she's here...
Sometimes I pace this ship at night when everybody else is sleeping--
I think of her, and then I'm happy with the company I'm keeping--
This vessel goes to bed, and I can live inside my head...

Andirrul, Dark Lady of the Sith, had two clear natures. One was the woman she had once been, not Andirrul but Andorra Evenstar, the gentle adopted daughter of the governor of Avalon. The other--a monster, a Sith Lord. Virul was his name, and he had possessed her at the very moment of his corporeal death. Who was she? She was neither one nor the other, and yet both. She was a house divided, a soul split, and everyone on the Phantasm knew it. If hers was a ghost ship, full of the best Sith assassins, she herself was the most elusive ghost of all. In private, some of the crew aboard snickered, calling her Bezumnaya, or the "Insane One", but in their heart of hearts they were afraid. They prayed to whatever gods they worshipped--money, lust, power, the Force they ruled--that Andirrul would not call them to a duel.

She slaved in her private training chambers from morning until night, fighting anyone and everyone who dared challenge her and her title as Dark Lady of the Sith. Everyone ached to go in, but no one came out alive save her.

Andirrul had been taught a new style of combat by her new Master, the parasite within her spirit. It was simply called skorost', or speed. Its objective was simple, and in its utter simplicity lay its utter power: slice your opponent to ribbons as fast as possible. Technique mattered, yes, but timing mattered more--far more. Of what importance were Form I, Form II, Form III, if your opponent knew which form could outmaneuver you and thus defeat you? Time was of the essence. Speed was life, and it was victory.

The others, under the command of her lieutenant, Wrath, learned other things--other ways of killing Jedi and anyone who dared pose a threat to the resurrected Sith. They learned stealth; they learned cunning and guile. They even learned how to beat someone to a bloody pulp with their bare hands and fill them full of blaster-fire scorch holes. All were well and good, indeed...

...but she alone was the master of the final truth--that speed kills.

The others aboard the Phantasm knelt down before Wrath, of course, but before Andirrul they lay down flat, pressing their faces to the ground. Not even Vader had received such reverence in his day. Palpatine had, or so it went, but never again was a Dark Lord--or Dark Lady--held in such honor.

Andirrul sat down in the pilot's seat, closing her eyes and sighing softly.

How were the Jedi to be defeated? It was they, of course, who were at fault. They despised women such as she, women who loved those of their own kind. Not only that, but they set themselves up as paragons of light when they were scions of the darkness! What else to call people who acted the hero in order to receive gratitude and sniveling hero-worship? Gratitude was for fools--not only those who gave thanks, but those who were thanked. If the beneficiaries of the Jedi's kindness went on about their day as if they had not been rescued from some dire fate, what did the Jedi always do?

They complained about the ungratefulness of the wretches they had saved.

Never mind! She'd see to it that every last Jedi was either defeated or turned to the Dark Side. So they forsook passion? They'd see their error. So they forsook love? They'd see that mistake as well. Anger and hatred? Useful things, but Jedi never used them. That made Lady Andirrul hate them more.

There was only one Jedi who did not earn her scorn, or her full contempt...

No one else knows, save Wrath. They must not know. I will be Kalla's once more.

And she will be mine. Such is, and will be, the way of the Sith, forever.

A witless lackey entered the cockpit. Andirrul turned her head slowly, ignited her two red lightsabers, and practiced the art of skorost' upon him.

There was nothing left of his body but a pile of ashes when she stood down.

(yes, it is a Republic ship. A small Star Destroyer, to be exact. And since you're new, I guess I have to explain that in this, both sides use Star Destroyers, but each manufacture their own, with very different design schemes, aside from the basic shape. And Tysy, last I checked, not only do the Jedi not have a problem with love at this time (the New Jedi Order in the books didn't), but Komad and Kalla are openly bisexual, and Virul was the homophobic one, or was Virul just twisting Andorra's mind?)

Komad had sent to Republic Guardsmen to investigate the ship they found. "Master Kaltas, we've searched the ship, and we've found two skeletons, and a cryogenically frozen woman. By the looks of her clothes, I'd say she's a Jedi." The first, a Chiss woman, explained, while the second, a male Zabrak, pointed a camera at the frozen Jedi. "Do you recognise her?" He asked. "No, can't say I do. Thaw her out, take her to the medical bay, and when she comes to, let me know." Komad replied.

Garrick stood on the Bridge of his brother Barek's Flagship, Mand'alor's Marev.

He had commandeered the ship to accompany Komad Kaltas' Star-Destroyer in the Outer Rim searches. So far, their journey had heeded nearly nothing, Garrick was already questioning if he should deploy the massive Mandalorian Fleet, and return to Mandalore to direct it from there. But his people needed a real leader, not a figurehead.

He was technically neither at the moment, as he was not Mandalore...yet. He and Barek were going to discuss that with the Mandalorians of Clan Ordo, and see if the final clans would join the mighty crusade. He'd have to speak to Tiye on that matter, as she was the only major leadership of the Clan Ordo Mando'a that he knew of.

Barek walked onto the bridge,"Brother, we recieved a dispatch from Kaltas' ship. They discovered something."

"I noticed."

Garrick had been watching carefully for the last 5 minutes.

He activated his holo-comm and requested Kaltas' presence.

"Jedi. I request permission to board and inspect the vessel you have discovered, my analysts are the best, we can ascertain Virul...Andirrul's position if this the right clue."

The events on Bastion had caught Garrick and his comrades by surprise. The battle was a complete victory, though casualties were heavy. They were still counting the dead. He was still getting used to the idea of Jedi as allies, but he could get used to it, at least their enemies always provided good sport...

It had been a whole year since the defeat at Bastion, in that time Wrath had gotten stronger. The reward Andirrul had granted him significantly boosted his Gen'Dai abilities. He took a sword and sliced off his own hand. Within seconds, a new one took its place. He smiled as he watched the lifeless hand hit the floor. It was odd before Virul took over the girl's body he would never show such generosity to someone especially after failing them. It was like the girl still had a voice inside. It had been a whole year and the girl's voice still echoed under Virul's. There was nothing wrong with who Virul took over, in fact Wrath was glad he took that body over. He shook the thoughts out and made his way to the cockpit. He entered inside to see Andirrul and what looked like remains of a body. The sith knelt down to his master.

"I see someone questioned your power great mistress of the sith. Kaltas is looking all over for you. It would appear his daughter still has feelings for Andorra. With your cunning you could lure her into a trap, corrupt her, and claim her as yours. Not to mention what it would do to Komad."

Kurt Krovak walked through Komad's ship with his rifle in his hands. He assited a team in bringing the frozen jedi in and was on his way to tell Kaltas. He set the rifle on his back and checked his HUD inside his visor. After making sure everything was as it should be in his helmet, Kurt continued to the bridge. He was about to speak when he heard a familar voice. It belonged to the Mandalorian Garrick. Kurt remembered fighting along side him at Bastion and how impressed he was. He saluted Komad.

"Sir I'd like permission to see to it the Mandalorians arrive safely to this ship, that is if you allow them to."

Tonatius had been staring out into space, listening to the scans. His face was drawn into a tight expression, as if deep in a memory. He was aware enough to hear Kalla adress him. He replied, "Perhaps the reason we cannot find it is because it thinks different from us."

He had refused to acknowledge the creature that inhabited his cousin's body. He felt he had failed his family and worse, the adopted mother, Master Starlighter's sister who had spent the past year directing affairs back on Avalon but always asking for a report. Tonatius looked at Kalla and realized that he may have sounded a bit harsh. He softened his tone and said, "I understand loss though yours is double fold." He placed his hand on Kalla's shoulder in reassurance. He then said, "Perhaps we have been looking about this the wrong way Master Komad. It seems that the only way to find our objective is to send someone who can find things. I suggest contacting Tavaryn Onashi."

*********

Living in a Triumvirate was something of a pain but it worked. Tyrannus was having ultimate revenge. It was not enough to kill the bastard taint; he had to make him suffer. It was a year to the day since Bastion and he had been working with Andirril, as she called herself, to make her into a powerful Sith Lord though he knew nothing could triumph over the Blood King unless it was like that of the Guardian millennia ago. He watched as she struggled between this duel personality, impressed that she was a quick learner. A good thing and an obvious one since she would retain Virul's memories. He grinned as she reduced a hapless lackey to ashes and began to clap in a mocking way. "Well done Lady of Madness though I think someone was getting a little angry. A good thing but a poor wielder at best."

********

The streets were dark but he could see all. Even with the lights of the city spilling over the streets, he could hide. He slunk through the shadows, trying not to be seen as he followed his target. His senses were on alert as he noted the various guards that moved into position. He could avoid them easily and he did, never losing sight of his quarry.

The alley was perfect as the target stopped and waited. Tavaryn watched the target and scanned the surrounding area. He looked and found no signs of any guards but that sisn't mean he could let his guard down. Deciding that the target had waited long enough, he moved closer. The target had just took a swig of juma when he said from his dark corner, "Your entourage is good but still obvious."

It was obvious he scared the target with his sudden voice and he smiled as the target jumped. He moved gracefully into the light but his hat kept his face in shadow. "You know who I am and you have something I want. Tell me, what have you found out about Andirril?"

********

"Master, I don't understand why we are searching this sector. The Republic has been through the debris and asteroids hundreds of times."

"Sometimes the golden egg is at the bottom of the basket, young Andros," Jun-la replied as she configured the ship's sensors over a debris field. Ever since Bastion, Andros, her apprentice, had gone willingly in search of Andirril and the others of the Trimuvirate. Their last engagement led to a fire fight in the middle of an asteroid belt. The enemy had fired a missile and detonated it allowing them to escape. With the gravimetric shears, it was difficult to pinpoint a possible trajectory.

Andros became silent and concentrated on piloting the ship. He wanted to talk particularly about his mother but he knew his master well enough to know that she was feeling doubly hurt. Losing as friend and a family member was a hard thing. He had talked about it with Matton, the scoundrel and former soldier, since Matton had feelings for his master but it wasn't the same. He had patience and was willing to wait.

He got his chance when Jun-la said, "Your mother made me promise to teach you everything but she knew better. She knew you would teach me."

"I miss her."

"I know."

A beep sounded and Andros said, "Sensors are picking up an ion signature two clicks ahead at the edge of the astroid field. Profile says that it is our ship."

"What are possible trajectories from this point?" Jun-la looked at the edge trying to visualize.

"Loading from the navicomputer."

After a beeping Jun-la studied the diagnotics. She then said, "Can you get a comm signal to our Mandalorian friends?"

Nandorr took a step forwards, bringing him next to Komad. He raised a fist to where his mouth would be were he not in his armor and turned to see the Jedi silently. The armor made a light clank as the Cathar moved, but it was a minimal noise which drowned into the ambient noises of any planet or ship. The Jensaarai glanced at the camera before shaking his head slowly.

"That cryopod looks like it's very old" Nandorr said, stretching the r as he spoke like almost all Cathar did.

"If this is a Jedi within, it could prove most valuable to your Order, Komad" the Jensaarai continued and lowered his hands to his waist, touching his lightsaber for an instant as if to make sure he was ready if it was something worse than a Jedi gone mad over the years frozen and floating all alone in space.

The Cathar had no idea why he was on this ship. Somehow he had gotten himself selected to a small group to escort Komad and the Jedi thought it a wise move to let a Jensaarai see what it was like going on wild goose chases across the Galaxy. Well, it did seem like it was this that occupied the Jedi the most in both the New Order and the Old Order, so why not learn from the best goose chasers in the Galaxy, then?
But why did it have to be Nandorr to be chosen. He found nothing of this trip enjoyable. You had to be on the edge of your seat all the time, searching for one ship amongst a million others. It was a pure chance if the Star Destroyer they were in would bump into whatever they were looking for. There was nothing left to do on this ship after a few days of wandering but to meditate and train with the lightsaber. Especially since he wasn't assigned to any rotating shifts on the bridge.

"Our posturings, our imagined self-importance,
the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe,
are challenged by this point of pale light.
Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark.
In our obscurity – in all this vastness – there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves."
- Carl Sagan

Johra watched the cryo-pod in silence. He was one of the few Jedi on the ship, assigned to find... something, a something he did not know anything about. But the Jedi Masters had told him to come along, and so he did.

He stepped forward, his long flowing robe flapping around his feet, and stood next to Komad.

"Master Kaltas," he said slowly. "I must ask you something. What is it that we are supposed to find? Is the woman related to it?"

He glanced at the cryo-pod.

"What if the Imperials attack us, what if they have a bigger fleet? What are we gonna do then?" he asked.

"Permission granted, though this may not be a clue at all." Komad sent out to the Mandalorians. "Yes of course." At Tonatius' suggestion, Reyvan stated, "I'm beginning to wonder that myself." As Komad left for the medical bay, he added, "I'll patch him through, see what he can tell us."

"No, Johra. This woman is not related to our search, but she needs medical attention. Unfortunately, most of our weapons were removed from our ship in order to increase our speed and stealth capabilities. Which means that if the Imperials find us, the plan is to punch the coordinates for Christophsis into the navicomputer, and jump into hyperspace." Reyvan explained.

Who is she? Komad thought to himself as he looked at the Jedi they had found. As she came to, he said to her, "Hello, my name is Komad Kaltas. I'm a Jedi. What's your name?"

"It's hard to believe it's been a year already. I miss them both so much." Kalla told Tonatius. At both memorial services, Andorra's on Avalon, and Greea's on Corellia, she had stayed next to him at all times, except when giving her eulogies. Losing both a parent and a lover on the same day was incredibly hard for her.

(OOC: Virul was twisting Andorra's mind, as his own is still stronger.)

Andirrul turned to Wrath.

If it had not been for the fact that half of her, at least, was still Andorra, she would have castigated her lieutenant severely for making such a brash and reckless request. However, that part of her wanted to teach, to discipline and not to punish. Thus, she motioned for the Gen'Dai to ascend the steps to her cockpit platform. He did so.

"A victory won too easily is not truly a victory at all," she told him. "Yes, I want to turn Kalla, and yes, I want to lure her and the Jedi with her into the ultimate trap. However, it is far too soon to do so. We are still vulnerable here aboard the Phantasm. She is a ghost ship, as she was meant to be, but she is not yet perfect. I'm setting a course for Nar Shaddaa, then Ziost, and finally Mustafar. Upon these worlds we shall perfect our craft, assassinating those who are threats to our power and becoming stronger in the Force. I have a plan, and Kalla factors into it, but not yet. Not yet, my dark comrade.

"She is not yet powerful enough to try and defeat skorost'," announced Andirrul. "I only duel those who are either prepared enough to fight me or not prepared at all! That is why I propose a contest of steeling oneself, one of determination and elimination. I shall present to one of you the prize for victory." She paused. "The rest will die."

The Dark Lady walked to a transparicrystal case upon her platform, removing a sword. The hilt was shining and ornate, with a snaking beskar caduceus winding up from the base to the tip of it. As for the blade, it looked humble and ordinary, but it resonated with a lethal, pulsing energy unknown in any other vibroblade--even of its own kind.

"This is Chetyrnadtsat'," she explained, "Blade of Fourteen Slayings. It was the final weapon that I held as Andorra Evenstar, the weakling! It was the slayer of Lord Virul's host, and I split him in half with my own two hands. Now, of course, he is me, and I am he. I used the old hilt of this sword to craft my two lightsabers," she said. "I crafted a new one with a gift of sacred metal from the Mandalorians who serve us. If you conquer in the contest I propose to you, you shall wield this blade forever."

She smiled coldly. "The losers may well be slain by it, if not by your own weapon. Step up to this platform and salute if you wish to participate. If not, stand down, fools!"

Andirrul folded her hands in front of her and waited. Silence filled the Phantasm.

Sam'kil stood at the bridge of his ship, absent mindedly twirling his unignited lightsaber. The Republic ship was at the edge of the scanners distance, barely a speck outside of the decks window.
"They're enroaching on our area, good enough reason to attack, right?" Sam'kil said to his underling, Taylor. Taylor nodded, her blond hair bobbing in its bun, tied behind her head. Sam'kil tried to control himself, now was definitely not the time for those feelings.
Sam'kil sighed and turned on his communicator.
" Assault, this is bridge, open fire." Sam'kil ordered.

---------------------------------------------------
Deep thought #1: In the end, everyone dies. No one can outrun time, death itself is always breathing down your neck, just waiting to slip the noose over you. But, in your time of death, what matters is not when or how or even why. What matters is what you do with it. Do you sit down and call it quits, or do you get up, stare your killer and death itself in the face, and laugh copiously, right until the end.

Jun-la smiled for his achievement. At that time Matton had joined them and he placed his hand on her shoulder. She let it rest there and then said, "Garrick, this is Jun-la. We are at the asteroid belt near the Lentaru sector, a largely unexplored region just beyond the Outer Rim. Found ion trail of Triumvirate's ship and have several possiblilities."

********

Upon hearing Komad's words, he spoke to the Republic officer, "Lt. I need a comm channel."

When it was given, he send a flash code but it was not a standard code. If he knew Tavaryn, he would probably be on the case of some bounty, possibly on Coruscant. He was close to his brother and ever since Bastion, he stuck around to make sure he was alright. As he waited, he turned to Kalla.

Tonatius knew how painful it was to lose a parent. He had lost his father and now he lost a cousin. He understood Kalla's pain. As per Avalonian manner, he replied, "Honorable as a peacekeeper, she was honorable in death. Rejoice in the life she lived."

**********

Tavaryn was pleased with his information and even more pleased that he had scared the pants off his contact. The contact had a bounty on him anyway yet Tavaryn had done some research on it and found that it was an illegal bounty and the guy had just made the wrong people angry over a game of sabacc. He took the bounty and now he got information and he could collect without shedding blood. He straightened up and gave a sigh. He remembered his days with Kyle Katarn first as a fellow merc and then a fellow teacher at the Jedi Academy on Yavin. He chuckled since he never considered himself a Jedi and never practiced their ways.

In the middle of his memory his comm beeped. He pulled it out to check. Recognizing it, he activated it and said, "General Kaltas, have you finally decided to let an old merc like me pick up a trail to the Triumvirate?"

**********

Tyrannus laughed at Andirril. He knew that the dual personalities was slowly driving her made. He said, "Yes I am aware of your fearsome blade though little good it does you against the Jedi. What will you do when our master decides to strike?"

Wrath looked around at the group that stood before them. Silence filled the room and Wrath stared down at each face down below. He himself would not do so for he respected his leader too much to do so. Seeing no one make a move, the Gen'Dai spoke up.

"The Dark Lady of the Sith has spoken! You will do as she commanded or I will behead each and everyone of you!"

He turned to see Tyrannus mocking Andirrul as he would with Virul. Wrath respected and admired Tyrannus as well. He bowed slightly to Tyrannus.

"Its always a pleasure to have you with us Lord Tyrannus."

Kurt nodded his head and left the bridge. He pulled out his comlink and spoke into it.

"Soon to be Mandalore Garrick, this is Master Sergeant Kurt Krovak. I will escort the Mandalorians around the ship. One more thing...I believe the saying is Su'cuy gar, sir."

Sam'kil watched in triumph as his ships warmed up to fire upon the Republic ships. Then everything went black, for one second, then everything was normal. Except, the blasters stopped charging,
"Engineering, what the heck happened?" Sam'kil yelled into his intercom, causing everyone with in hearing distance to cringe.
"Sir, something just cut, I don't kno-" The man started choking.
"Fix it! NOW" Sam'kil yelled, his fist starting to unclench.
"Ahh..Ah-Ah, Yessir!" He said faintly.Three Minutes Later...
Finally, the turrets were activated.
"Just fire, target the Republic ship and fire." Sam'kil ordered.
The beams of red flew out throught he vacuum of space, getting closer and closer with every second.Boom! Sam'kil thought.

---------------------------------------------------
Deep thought #1: In the end, everyone dies. No one can outrun time, death itself is always breathing down your neck, just waiting to slip the noose over you. But, in your time of death, what matters is not when or how or even why. What matters is what you do with it. Do you sit down and call it quits, or do you get up, stare your killer and death itself in the face, and laugh copiously, right until the end.

"Garrick, this is Jun-la. We are at the asteroid belt near the Lentaru sector, a largely unexplored region just beyond the Outer Rim. Found ion trail of Triumvirate's ship and have several possiblilities."

Garrick nodded an approval, "This is excellent, Jun-la! We have been searching in vain for quite some time now, this change in luck will be good for morale. We will reroute to your position and begin recon immediatley. My ship will be there in perhaps..."

He checked the hyperspace monitor and the Krono behind it. Lentaru wasn't too far off from this position.

"....in less then half an hour, faster, if we push the reactor past its capacity."

Barek nodded off cam as an affirmative that it was possible. Suddenly, another button began beeping on the off-screen console.

"...Oh..di'kutla shevul'...sorry, it appears something on the other console is going off. We'll have to tend to it. Anyway, thank you for the information, Jun-la. If there are any more developements before we arrive, inform us. Su'cuy."

With that, he had to cut the comm channel. He hated having to be rude, but the beeping sound was coming fromt he emergency console, which could not be ignored. He hoped that he hadn't offended there Jedi friends.

"Get the 'di'kutla message up....."

The comm activated.

"Soon to be Mandalore Garrick, this is Master Sergeant Kurt Krovak. I will escort the Mandalorians around the ship. One more thing...I believe the saying is Su'cuy gar, sir."

This was unexpected, the name, request, and way of communication were all strange, Garrick was immediatley suspicous.

"Sergeant. How did you get this operating number? Where are you? We are not receiving your transponder code. And we do not need guidance if you are in fact on a friendly ship, we are Mando'a, not cattle."

Barek stood by the side, helmet under arm, and face suggesting that Garrick was slightly over-reacting. And Garrick knew it, he was, but he was angered by the fact that a random sergeant had just interferred with them receiving important information regarding the mission.

He took a breath amd shook his head.

"Sergeant...just hand over your transponder frequency and we'll be able to sort this out."

you very much If a tree would fall in the woods.....would the other trees laugh at it?

"I fought with you on Bastion sir. I was the soldier in green body armor. I was to report to you in order to assit. I couldn't understand some of your orders so I learned your language to make things easier next time. My suit is slightly more advanced after I made some modifications. The com-link inside my helmet allows me to pick up any friendly frequency. With Master Komad's permission I am to escort your team around the ship. It's nothing personal or anything sir, I just like to make sure our allies are safe. I'll be in the hangar until you arrive, Kurt out."

Perhaps the Mando's had not welcomed him as they welcomed the jedi. Or perhaps they didn't respect him yet. Maybe it was because his armor was that of a Death Guard. He just shrugged his shoulders and walked to the hangar like he said.

Andirrul licked her lips, gazing at Tyrannus with her intense golden eyes. "I shall be ready," she replied, "saving a lesser weapon, even though it be great, for a lesser servant of mine. As for him," she continued, gesturing to the pile of ashes scattered across the floor, "you are correct, my lord. It was a waste to slay him thus. Skorost' is an honorable death, and this idiot deserved no honor." She turned to the throngs before her. "Well?" she asked.

A few timid souls stepped forward to join the competition she had proposed--lesser servants, as their Dark Lady had said. Still, they had potential, and the Sith saw potential in everyone. Yes, they weeded out the weak and feeble, but did the Jedi spurn such a practice? No! They liked to pretend that they gave everyone an equal chance to join their Order, but the truth was that not everyone got to be a Jedi Knight, or even a Padawan. The rest were sent to more menial squads and assignments. At least the Sith were honest about their one permanent law: survival of the fittest, and betrayal in the end.

Betrayal. The part of Andirrul that was the Dark Lord of the Sith would not be mocked, least of all by Tyrannus. She stormed toward him and hissed like a malraas lioness, a spitting viper, and the most insidious phantom ever known.

"I'll eat you alive!" she roared. "I'll crush your bones, you liquid heap of molten slag!" Using the Force, she heaved him up into the air and pressed, squeezing until she heard one of his vertebrae crack audibly. His body fell with a whump to the cold metal floor of the Phantasm.

She saw some of the spectators watching him. They were laughing. Good.

"Nar Shaddaa is far away," she said, "and I'll be even farther. As we venture there, I shall be perfecting my own art. Damned if I'll yield in the final duel!"

Andirrul stormed away into her private chambers, leaving her soldiers and thralls to scheme. How would they win the contest, and the blade? How would they slay their first victim once they reached Nar Shaddaa? Most of all, how in the Force would they survive a Mistress who had lost her mind...

"This is Master Skyrider, in short, yes, but we'll have to contact you again, we're about to jump into hyperspace." Reyvan explained, then opening a comm with the Mandalorians. "Listen, we don't have the weapons to hold off that ship, and we're leaving for the Christophsis system, now that we've been spotted by the New Empire. Your team's onboard, and you can meet us there." He told them.

"Yeah, we did. A bit more than a century ago, in fact. Tell me, for you, how long ago was Order 66 issued?" Komad inquired. "We're taking you to a medical facility on the planet Christophsis. This Star Destroyer's got little more than a cloaking device, a hyperdrive and lots of long-range scanners, and you've most likely got a severe case of hybernation sickness."

"Yeah, we did. A bit more than a century ago, in fact. Tell me, for you, how long ago was Order 66 issued?"

A century?! It...that can't be...I was just placed in the pod a few hours ago...He's lying he has to be lying!

"It was...nearly ten years ago that order 66 was issued...that they turned on us...Please...tell me this is some kind of sick joke...It couldn't have been that long."

"We're taking you to a medical facility on the planet Christophsis. This Star Destroyer's got little more than a cloaking device, a hyperdrive and lots of long-range scanners, and you've most likely got a severe case of hybernation sickness."

"We can't go yet...I managed to save some of the holocrons from the temple...We need to retrieve them...the inquisitor left them on the planet with my lightsaber. Please, you have to go back for them."

"What planet? Your ship's been floating in wild space for who knows how long. It may have been around for a whole century. There are no hospitable planets anywhere near to here, Jedi" the Jensaarai said, appearing in the view of the recently woken Jedi.

"Palpatine is long since dead. We have new Sith problems us force-users must handle" Nandorr said and smiled under his helmet. He bowed slightly in respect and decided the best course of action was to introduce himself.

"I am Nandorr, Jensaarai Defender. I greet you Alriana, Jedi of the Old Order" he said while bowing, glancing at Komad while he straightened himself. The Cathar was intrigued by this new arrival and it showed on him... Well, to the extent what body language could be cyphered from below all that armor and what tone of voice could be recognized coming though the helmet's vocoder.

"Our posturings, our imagined self-importance,
the delusion that we have some privileged position in the universe,
are challenged by this point of pale light.
Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark.
In our obscurity – in all this vastness – there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves."
- Carl Sagan

"Of course" Johra said and walked to his quarters, taking off his robe as he went. He was gonna get some sleep.

-------

Naeros stood in the hangar of the Empire ship. He and his team was going to be sent into the Star Destroyer, to open up the shields. He was in his Storm Commando armor, but had taken off the helmet. Then an officer gave the order to attack and the Storm Commandos climbed into the dropship. In a few seconds they were airbourne, and in space. Naeros walked into the cockpit.

"They are about to make the jump to hyperspace," the pilot informed him. Naeros nodded.

"We'll just have to stop them, then." He walked back to his crew and put on the helmet and grabbed his rifle. The Star Destroyer had probably seen them, Naeros thought.

(OOC: I'm creating another character, another nice foil for Andirrul, who will be the "mole" and spy who tries to infiltrate the Jedi and lead them to her--into a trap! She will truly make the Jedi want to say, "Death to the Sith!")

A sudden hiss of hydraulic pressure caused Andirrul to whirl around in hot alarm. No one dared enter her chambers while she was practicing skorost' and her Force forms! This one would pay for the interrruption.

"Forgive me, Mistress." A soft voice, which belied her cold and calculating eyes. "My name is Pahro Utonula. I know that you don't know the names of everyone aboard this vessel, so allow me to introduce myself properly. I am fully under your command, at your disposal, but I report to one of your senior officers. I am a diplomat--a spy, if the truth be known. I sense a disturbance in the Force, my lady. It may be a cliche, but I do. As you know, the Jedi are our greatest foes. I have reached out through the Force and sensed one."

"One?!" Andirrul laughed with haughty mirth. "Congratulations, you have the Force sensitivity of a four-year-old! There are thousands of Jedi across this galaxy, and you have sensed one? I'm surprised you're not a child yourself!" She glared at Pahro. True, she was beautiful--more than beautiful--but she seemed to have no brain. Never mind that! If what Pahro said was true, then she might well prove useful in the end. Thus, Andirrul asked:

"Who is this one Jedi you have pinpointed, Utonula? Tell me, if you dare."

The other woman closed her eyes and folded her hands in front of her.

"A female," she replied, "frozen in time. She has just now awakened."

"Is she surrounded by others? Has anyone else even found this woman yet?"

"Yes, my lady. They are Jedi. I sensed their presences in the Force, but she is the one who calls out to me without even knowing it, like a beacon. During my meditations--yes, even spies meditate--I cast my gaze outward, through the darkness of space, and found her possible location."

"Where?"

"Christophsis. This is what I honestly believe. I wish to go and investigate."

"Do so." Andirrul smiled imperiously. "Leave this vessel, and take my modest courier ship. It is the one I use when I go on expeditions--and, wouldn't you believe, I haven't gone on any yet!" She laughed. "That way, you will remain undetected and unknown to the Jedi as a Sith. Succeed in this mission--finding her and the others with her--and I shall reward you when you report to me." She deactivated her lightsabers at last, in case Pahro would have taken the opportunity to attack her. "You are dismissed, Diplomat Utonula."

The spy knelt down and then slid down flat to the ground, prostrating herself before she left the chambers of the Dark Lady. Pahro grinned. This was it...

Soon it would be Andirrul, not herself, who would be lying in that position!

"What planet? Your ship's been floating in wild space for who knows how long. It may have been around for a whole century. There are no hospitable planets anywhere near to here, Jedi"

"The planet is located near a Red Nebula on the very edge of Wild Space and I refuse to leave without those Holocrons and my Lightsaber, they are the only things that I have left, the few personal possesions I was able to save from the clones. If you won't go to the planet, then I'll go there myself. Launch me there in an escape pod if you have to."

"Palpatine is long since dead. We have new Sith problems us force-users must handle."

"I have no doubt that you believe you speak the truth, but you said you defeated Palpatine and his Sith order, if that is true, then where did this new threat arise from?"

"I am Nandorr, Jensaarai Defender. I greet you Alriana, Jedi of the Old Order" That is a large set of armor he is wearing...I wonder what species he is behind it. He seems humanoid but for all I know he could be a droid under all that.

Alriana bowed her head in respect. I greet you in return...Nandorr. Tell me, what species are you under that armor?"

Wrath watched in awe from behind his helmet as Andirrul made quick work of Tyrannus. He didn't make a move until Andirrul left for her private quarters. He walked to the med bay and picked up a needle. He didn't have his body armor on so injecting himself would be much easier. He held down until the needle was full with his blood. He returned to where Tyrannus was and injected him with the needle.

"As you can see Lord Tyrannus, Andirrul is much different than Virul. My Gen'Dai blood will repair whatever damage was done to you. Since I have no bone structure the cells will take whatever shape they want such as a heart or spine cell. When you get the chance to catch your footing I wanted to ask you something, but first I have buisness to attend to."

Wrath left once again and headed to the Dark Lady's private chambers. On his way he saw that spy that was always lurking around the ship.

"Out of my way you spineless toad." Wrath barked as he moved past her.

He opened the door to Andirrul's chambers and knelt down before her.

"My appologies Mistress but I wanted to know if there's anyway I can help you in your master plan to take down the jedi. Also I couldn't help but notice that spy exit from your chambers. I do like them, they are more treacherous than the sith. They'll do anything for power and betray all. Would you have me slice her up for entering your private chambers, or perhaps for being a parasite?"

Andirrul winked at Wrath. "No, servant of mine. I require your assistance in an entirely different arena, a separate part of my plan to destroy the Jedi. You and I both know that they weep at the deaths of innocents, but what are billions of lives that are of no tactical importance compared to one politician who is? This is my aim, and this is what will make the Jedi tremble.

"Politicians, at their core, will do anything to get elected--all except those with misguided principles and naive scruples. I need you to find the ones that have held out against us for this long and either slay or capture them. Doing this, you will create Chaos, and the people will cry out for Law! We are the ones who will bring that law, not the Jedi. They are peacekeepers, not police. Once we have brought an end to martial law, we'll institute ours."

She stroked his hand. "I am loathe to have you this far from my side, however. Choose an instrument from the peons aboard this ship and give them my instructions. You yourself may choose who will live, and who will die." Getting rid of politicians may have seemed like a weak plan to those who preferred a more brutal approach, but Andirrul had always considered wanton slaughter to be mindless and stupid. Even the insane were wise in their own way. What better way to throw the common people into panic?

Sam'kil watched the Stardestroyer explode in a firey explosion.
"That can't have been to only one, there's probably more. Should we find them?" Sam'kil asked Taylor. She paused, making calculations of sucess and making quick mental battles and scenarios.
"No, sir. More than likely, the ship has warned the others, if there are others. We'd be walking into a trap, figuratively speaking." Taylor responded.
"Fine then Taylor, ruin my fun. I'll punish you later." Sam'kil said. A small grin broke out on his face, and Taylor managed to hold back a giggle. "Alright, send the General a message. 'We've met Republic ships, engaged. Do we continue or not?' Got all that?" Sam said to the soldier manning the message center.
"Yessir." The soldier responded, sending the message through space to the leader.

---------------------------------------------------
Deep thought #1: In the end, everyone dies. No one can outrun time, death itself is always breathing down your neck, just waiting to slip the noose over you. But, in your time of death, what matters is not when or how or even why. What matters is what you do with it. Do you sit down and call it quits, or do you get up, stare your killer and death itself in the face, and laugh copiously, right until the end.

(@Jedi_Man: several problems there. One: that Star Destroyer had a large number of major characters on board, which you do not just kill off like that. Two: this is an alternate future, and Darth Virul was Emperor until Part V, and now there is no Emperor. Unless you fix your post accordingly, I'll have to disregard it in order to keep things in order.
@Chev: What planet is it exactly?)
"Very well. Just give us both the hyperspace and planetary coordinates, and we'll retreive them for you." Komad replied.

"Master Skyrider, shields are up and holding, and we are ready to jump into hyperspace." One of the crewmen explained. "Slight change of plans: We need to retrieve a few things for our guest from another system first. The coordinates should be coming to you now." Came Komad's voice over the comm. "Understood. Making the jump into hyperspace now." Reyvan replied, and the Star Destroyer quickly fled its attacker.

"Barek, get Vengeance and Po'voya'ka on assisting Komad. They will be more then enough. Also, get this ship into hyperspace onto the coordinates Jun-la gave us. Also, inform Captain Durrel that he will have to meet us on Mandalore in three days. By then, the analysts would known enough."

"Yes, brother."

Garrick nodded, he needed to go visit this 'Kurt,' as angry as Garrick may have been, the message was on an emergency channel, the lad had probably meant it to be important.

Tonatius had watched as they revived the Jedi. He mused mostly to Kalla, "One who lived during Order 66. Amazing. The Starlighter children were born during that reign."

When the girl demanded answers he spoke aloud, "Much has happened since you were frozen. Wars for peace have occurred and as to the Sith threat, they have always existed. Mostly from my world and beyond. You are probably familiar with the term Explorer."

((Explorer is a term used by Republic citizens to refer to Avalonians since that is what they primarily did when they first arrived.))

*********

Tavaryn acknowledged the reply from Skyrider. In response he said, "Send me the coordinates and I'll meet you there."

He then headed straight for his ship. Ever since Bastion, he had kept one of the sleek Avalonian fighters at his disposal, courtesy of his sister. Like him, these fighters were fast in their movement. In no time, he could catch up to Komad's ship.

********

Tyrannus acknowledged Wrath and listened to Andirril bluster about with her orders. When she began on her plan for chaos, he said, "You seek to employ chaos? Hardly worth the effort since they are looking for us anyway and the daughter of the bastard taint is like straif cat on the kill."

He lounged against a bulkhead, "If you send this lowly one Wrath to do this, you insult his skills though he does have a brown spot on his nose because of you."

**********

Jun-la received the transmission. She replied, "I am sending you the coordinates to our located. Relay them to Master Komad." Her hands glided over teh panel as she uploaded and sent the coordinates.

Andirrul lit her lightsabers again, but then set them aside. If she were to kill this second member of the Sith Triumvirate, it would be with the Force and her own bare hands. She despised him that much, to believe that the art she had learned from Lord Virul would be wasted upon him. She sidled up to him, knowing that if she were fast enough, she could nigh well break his neck.

"Well, then?" she asked Tyrannus, with a cold, haughty sneer. "What would you do if you were me, to take down the Jedi and all the structures that support them? Lord Sidious before me used chaos and then order to achieve his ultimate aims, so why should I refrain from doing so?" She ran her long fingernails down his right cheek. "Let's hear your plans, Lord Tyrannus. If they appeal to the distorted senses of both sides of my mind, I'll use them. If not, I'll summon Wrath. He and I, together, are strong enough to kill you."

She had a thought. "Wrath wants to serve. What work could he do that would not insult his skills? It's not as if I asked him to scrub the latrines on the ship."

"As for what we were doing out here, one of the Sith Lords we now fight is capable of taking over people's bodies upon death, and a year ago, following a crippling blow we struck at the New Empire, he was killed, but he escaped after taking over the body of a young woman, the Princess of the Avalon system, and my daughter's lover. We're hoping to track her down and free her mind." Komad explain.

"We're about to arrive at the Jatalra system. Be careful, it's on the edge of Wild Space." Reyvan replied. As the ship arrived in the system, Reyvan left for the medical bay, to gather the rest of the Jedi. "We've arrived. Kalla, Tonatius, come with me." He explained, leading the two of them to the hangar.

((Very bad weather conditions, Heavy pouring rain is very common and there are always dark stormclouds. The local plant life has adapted to these conditions and has somehow managed to thrive without much sunlight. There are a few small species of animals and even fewer larger animals. However the larger animals should be avoided at all costs since they are very dangerous, even to a jedi.))

"Much has happened since you were frozen. Wars for peace have occurred and as to the Sith threat, they have always existed. Mostly from my world and beyond. You are probably familiar with the term Explorer."

"Actually yes I am. I heard about them from a traveling spacer once when I was on the run."

"We're about to arrive at the Jatalra system. Be careful, it's on the edge of Wild Space."

"Watch out. There are certain unsavory characters who sometimes use the outlying planets as bases from which to launch attacks on ships. Pirates, smugglers...Mandalorians at one time, they've all used either my planet or one of the outlying ones to launch attacks.

"Tell your men who are going down to watch themselves, there are large creatures down there that are very dangerous, even for Jedi. And your landing party may not be alone down there, I don't know what kind of people may have taken up residence down there while I've been gone."

( Alkonium, I know this, which is why I was waiting for a response from one of the characters on board, so I made it a different Stardestroyer. There, since it would work because if your invading enemie space, you'd have someone watching your back.)
Sam'kil sat in the chair next to the information readout. No new ships, no new enemies, nothing, zilch nadda.
" Darn, there's nothing to do while we wait for a message." Sam'kil whined.
"Oh, I wouldn't say that, sir." Came the voice of Taylor.
Sam'kil smiled. He kissed her on the cheek, a quick peck, but all the same it made his heart flutter.
"We'll get to that later. I'm too busy now" Sam'kil said, dissapointed.

---------------------------------------------------
Deep thought #1: In the end, everyone dies. No one can outrun time, death itself is always breathing down your neck, just waiting to slip the noose over you. But, in your time of death, what matters is not when or how or even why. What matters is what you do with it. Do you sit down and call it quits, or do you get up, stare your killer and death itself in the face, and laugh copiously, right until the end.